I'm currently playing with the LKT Red Diamond rubber and I'm very pleased with it's performance. It is how ever not very durable and needs to be replaced too often for my likings. The main problem I have with it is that it loses it's tackiness.

So, now I'm curious if any one have tried the new version KTL Red Diamond (The name change is apparently due to some legal issues in China, LKT was already taken by some one else, so they changed it to KTL) and can share how it plays? I do think I've read that it is not tacky? Durability? Performance compared to the tacky LKT RD?

1st and 2nd generation Red Diamond are slightly tacky, yes. Another forum member mentioned he had some very tacky sheets, but all 5 or so of mine have been very, very mildly so (disappointing haha). 3rd generation is supposedly completely non-tacky, so it looks like this will be an adventure!

I'm currently using my second sheet of LKT RD and both of them have been mildly tacky, but the tack have worn off quickly. I certainly can't pick up a ball with the new sheet, and it's less then a month old.

Rawrtjes, look forward to hear your impressions about the KTL and how it compares to the "current" Red Diamond.

1st sheet: topsheet started coming apart from the sponge within 15 minutes of hitting. Unusable within the hour.

2nd sheet: Used for an evening, then someone made off with that bat.

In any case, Speedplay, if you're still wondering what it's like, don't! It loops very easily and blocks better, but the sponge is much slower and loses a lot in the dynamicism of it all. Short game is worse. I prefer the 2nd generation (topsheet still tacky) to the 3rd. If you're not unhappy with how 1st gen RD plays, maybe Falco Life Expander or Spinmax?

I'm lucky enough to still be able to get hold of the 1st en RD, so I think I'll continue to use that. I also read that the third gen comes with a softer sponge, something that I'm not to excited about.

Thanks for the feedback, now I know for sure that I'm not interested in the third gen RD.

Unfortunately not. I've heard from several people that Moon is closer to Tenergy then RD, so I have been tempted, but at the same time, RD gets the job done and it's cheap.

I also suspect that the people who says Moon is closer to T05 then RD are people who have tried, and liked, the later versions of T05, while I prefered the earlier version of T05, the one with a harder/denser and heavier sponge.

KTL Red Diamond (again, the 3rd gen, not the 2nd or 1nd gen) is a euro feel rubber, very fast, med throw and good spin. Definitely faster than moon or sun. I don't know about the 1st or 2nd Red Diamond. I am talking about KTL RD, not LKT RD, btw.

Moon is definitely better than red diamond, but then that is not a high bar to clear.

Better for who, or what?

I like the LKT RD, because it's hard, dead in the short game, but brings the speed when I increase the power and it's easy to load up spin on pretty much any shot. The one thing I don't like is the lack of durability, the tackiness wears of to quick.

From what I have hear, moon is softer and bouncier, which certainly isn't what I'm looking for.

I don't use the sticky protection sheet, because when I was new to the sport, I used a sticky protection sheet on some tacky rubber (I think it was G 666) and the rubber got ruined straight away. Ever since then, I've been "affraid" to use sticky protection sheets. I do how ever use a regular protection sheet and always cleans the rubber with water when I have played.

So I ordered KTL Red Diamond and Black Power, and they arrived this morning.

First off, the Black Power. It was in the new KTL packaging. However, the rubber inside had the old LKT stamp. Looked like one of the earlier versions to me. Black sponge, quite hard, quite heavy, slightly tacky. So that's disappointing. Is this an old version in a new package? Is there even a new version available, or are LKT buring through their old stock? As usual, confusion reigns.

However, the Red Diamond was the new one. Rubber has the new KTL logo. Completely different to the previous RD versions. Much, much lighter. Light pink sponge, very soft. So soft it's difficult to cut. Strange texture to it, almost feels like cloth. The only other sponge I've seen with a textile-like texture was TinArc 3, but this is much lighter than that. The topsheet is thin, translucent, non-tacky. Reminds me a lot of the Shark 2 Red Sponge topsheet, but the pips are smaller.

I forgot to weigh the uncut sheets, and they're both in the press now. I did weigh the cutoffs, and the RD was 16g, while the BP was 21g. So, scaling up, RD is 76% of the mass of BP. A LOT lighter, and a lot lighter than the original 1st gen RD. Sorry I didn't get accurate figures. :-(

Sounds like the Red Diamond is the new one, they both might be.. No one said the Black Power has changed much.

The new Red Diamond is non tacky but I could imagine it would become tacky if you put a sticky protector sheet on it, have you used the sheet? If it's got the KTL topsheet is light and the porous sponge that's hard to cut it's the new one 100%, 1000% certain

Both KTL, but the 2nd one has the "non-adhesive" text on the front. Also, the second one has a purple KTL logo, instead of the black one I have. So, are KTL doing tacky and non-tacky versions of each rubber now?

But the last two I've listed there have the same chinese characters, so maybe they are just different translations of the same thing? Or - maybe the text isn't actually written on the packaging. Maybe it's just in the promotional images sent out by KTL, and all the packaging is blank?

Sounds like the Red Diamond is the new one, they both might be.. No one said the Black Power has changed much.

The new Red Diamond is non tacky but I could imagine it would become tacky if you put a sticky protector sheet on it, have you used the sheet? If it's got the KTL topsheet is light and the porous sponge that's hard to cut it's the new one 100%, 1000% certain

Honestly, I haven't got a clue.

I'm talking about fresh sheets. I just took the protective film off (not the sheet which comes with it) after I'd glued the cut rubber onto a blade. And they're both tacky. This RD can lift a ball for quite a while.

The topsheet and sponge are exactly as you describe. But I can't describe it as non-tacky. Maybe it will wear off quickly?

The new one has the thickness and hardness thing on the packet and can be Strong friction or non-adhesive afaik (purple logo). The one I've used wasn't tacky in anyway, it's just like Tenergy's grip, doesn't look like Tenergy or Shark II's rough surface but it grabs the ball even in heavy humidity perfectly so it does have some traction

BUT! It does have KTL on the packaging, and not LKT. So I think that KTL are still selling the old version of BP, in a slightly modified package (with KTL logo on the front, not the old LKT). But it's old stock, so the rubber still has LKT on.

The new one has the thickness and hardness thing on the packet and can be Strong friction or non-adhesive afaik (purple logo). The one I've used wasn't tacky in anyway, it's just like Tenergy's grip, doesn't look like Tenergy or Shark II's rough surface but it grabs the ball even in heavy humidity perfectly so it does have some traction

Well, my RD package doesn't have the text on the front, and doesn't have the thickness/hardness thing. But it's really tacky.

Thanks KTL. I assume your name change was the latest step in your mission to confuse your customers to the point of madness.

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